Category: Bible Characters

Joseph and Temptation (Part Two)

Genesis 39:6-10

So Potiphar left everything he had in Joseph’s care; with Joseph in charge, he did not concern himself with anything except the food he ate. Now Joseph was well-built and handsome, and after a while his master’s wife took notice of Joseph and said, “Come to bed with me!” But he refused. “With me in charge,” he told her, “my master does not concern himself with anything in the house; everything he owns he has entrusted to my care. No one is greater in this house than I am. My master has withheld nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. How then could I do such a wicked thing and sin against God?” And though she spoke to Joseph day after day, he refused to go to bed with her or even be with her (NIV).

In our last article about Joseph, we made a few general observations about temptation. Everyone encounters temptation every day. The Lord Jesus taught his followers to pray to be rescued from temptation (Matthew 6:13; 26:41). Joseph’s encounter with it ought to provide sufficient motivation for us to pray. Let’s analyze his first battles with the temptation to sexual immorality.

Potiphar’s wife aggressively tried to seduce Joseph (39:7). Joseph was in a very vulnerable position. This complicated sin’s attack.

  • He was an unmarried young man with normal sexual desires. We must always realize that sexual desires are very good. God created people with a longing for sexual fulfillment. He made us to enjoy sex. This was not Joseph’s temptation; instead, it was to fulfill his sexual desires outside of a marital relationship.
  • He was a man with frustrated ambitions. It would be too easy to seize something to prove himself to himself.
  • He was a servant. Normally, he would have to obey her orders. In other words, he had a ready-made “excuse”. When we make excuses to do something that we know is sinful, we fall into a dangerous trap. Joseph wasn’t looking for an excuse; one was personally delivered to him by his “employer”. Many in business receive these “excuses” to drink excessively, to go to “gentlemen’s clubs”, and to party wildly while away on business trips.

Joseph was caught in a surprise attack. If he were tempted to sexual immorality with a servant girl, that would be a common affair. As the head slave, he could have had occasion to seduce women with a lower position in the household. But his master’s wife had designs on him. This was more unusual. Note, I did not say unheard of. We do not have to go looking for sin. It will seek us (cf. 1 Peter 5:8).

Joseph made a godly refusal of her wicked seduction (39:8-9).

  • He reasoned from general principles. Honor demanded that he not violate the trust that his master had in him. Joseph also respected the marriage relationship that God had established which people have followed from creation (cf. Roman 2:14-15; Genesis 20:3-7). People know that they ought to be faithful to their spouses.
  • He reasoned from godly principles. He was able to call the seduction to illicit sexual pleasure by its correct name: “such a wicked thing.” He viewed sin as foremost of all as an offense against God (cf. King David’s confession of his adultery, Psalm 51:4).

Joseph had to endure an unrelenting assault by Potiphar’s wife (39:10). His sound and solemn reasoning did not change her mind. Temptation does not walk away when it is first spurned. Joseph had to be on constant guard against this temptation: she spoke to Joseph day after day. Let us not think that temptation will grow tired of harassing us. Temptation is always optimistic about its chances for victory. Joseph acted wisely while being tempted. He refused the sin. “No, I won’t go to bed with you.” He also refused the occasion of sin. In general, if you would keep yourself from harm, keep out of harm’s way. May God give us grace to learn from Joseph’s example.

Grace and peace, David

Joseph and Temptation (Part One)

Genesis 39:6-10

The sports world is filled with stories of a young and rising team against an older team, skilled and experienced in the sport. Often the storyline is that the younger team does not stand a chance against the veteran champions. This story is like that for it matches a young godly man against a strong temptation that has conquered many.

The Bible speaks plainly about sexual immorality. The amount of material in the Scriptures on the subject witnesses to mankind’s fatal attraction to this sin. The Lord has recorded such incidents as this one from Joseph’s life as warnings to us all. Now these things happened to them as an example, but they were written down for our instruction, on whom the end of the ages has come. Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall. No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it (1 Corinthians 10:11-13 ESV).

Let us begin with some general observations (39:6-7).

  • The blessing of good looks can be a source of temptation. By his sovereign will, God has chosen to bless certain people with physical attractiveness. A few are even very good looking (Genesis 24:16; 2 Samuel 11:2). God made you how you are (Exodus 4:11). But in this world of sin, even the good gifts of God can become a source of temptation, either to yourself or others. Many beautiful women have found themselves to be objects of lust rather than love. Don’t blame the Lord for the good gift. The temptation is not in the gift, but in sin’s misuse of it. If sin can misuse even the holy law of God, it can also misuse the gift of beauty (Romans 7:10-13).
  • Temptation does not appear suddenly in every course of events. Sometimes we can unpack our bags and settle in before it raises its ugly head (39:7). Temptation can be like a cat, watching its prey for the optimal moment to pounce. Beware of being lulled into a false sense of security. A change of venue does not mean that sin has disappeared. Some have changed jobs because they “could not handle the pressure.” Yet the circumstances of the new job allowed them to walk farther away from the Lord.
  • Marital infidelity isn’t new (39:7). Some foolish people think that sexual immorality is proof of being modern and liberated. There is nothing new or liberating in adultery. This incident happened over 3700 years ago, and there was sexual immorality before this. It comes out of the human heart (Mark 7:21). God’s word always requires that sexual desires may only be fulfilled within the bond of marriage. There are no exceptions for anyone at anytime.
  • God does not necessarily spare his children from severe spiritual trials. Jesus Christ his Son had to endure temptation (Matthew 4:1). We are wise to pray to be kept from temptation. And do not bring us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one (Matthew 6:13 CSB). Stay awake and pray, so that you won’t enter into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak (Matthew 26:41 CSB).

Joseph found himself in a very dangerous, nearly deadly situation, due to the lusts of another person. Temptation to sin can come in a variety of ways and situations. We don’t have to go looking for it. For this reason, we must be prepared. Fill your heart with godly, heavenly desires, and rely on the help of the Holy Spirit.

Grace and peace, David

A Ray of Sunshine (Part Two)

Genesis 39:2-6a

I am usually not a “morning person”; in fact, I’m a slow starter. I usually try to explain this because I was born at 12:29 AM. When I worked third shift in years past, I usually didn’t have any trouble staying awake, except when I had to run machines with strobe lights. But that is a different story. A few years ago, Sharon and I went to Acadia National Park. One of the attractions is to get up early and drive to the top of Cadillac Mountain to watch the sunrise. It is the first place in the continental United States from which you can see the sunrise. When the sun rises, it is a gradual event. This is what happened to Joseph, who had been taken as a slave to Egypt. The first ray of sunshine was being sold to Potiphar, the captain of Pharaoh’s God. In our text for today, we see the sun rise in more strength.

The explanation for this blessing is the fact that the Lord was with Joseph (cf. Acts 7:9). One of the basic facts of God’s nature is his omnipresence. God is everywhere (Psalm 139:7-10; Jeremiah 23:23-24). That is important doctrine, but this verse speaks of the presence of God with his people rather than his omnipresence. When the Bible speaks of God being present or with his people, it means that he has come to them in a special way to bless them, be merciful to them, and to act through them for the benefit of others. It signals that the covenant Lord was about to break into ordinary lives for extraordinary good. In the Scriptures, the Holy Spirit tells us that the Lord was with people like Joshua (Josh 6:27), various judges (Judges 2:18), Samuel (1 Samuel 3:19), David (1 Samuel 18:14), Hezekiah (2 Kings 18:7), and Christ himself (Acts 10:38).

This blessing came in two forms, and neither affected Joseph’s predicament. In other words, God was with Joseph, and Joseph remained a slave. This makes no sense, if you evaluate things from a worldly point of view. I can hear the grumbling, “How can God be with Joseph, while Joseph continues to be a slave?” God, the Lord of time, works gradually in time to carry out his purposes.

First, let’s track Joseph’s rise in the household (39:4). There were steps in his promotion. He became Potiphar’s personal attendant; then he was put in charge of the household; and then in charge of all Potiphar’s possessions. Undoubtedly Joseph did his work wisely and thoroughly. However, the Scripture does not emphasize Joseph’s faithfulness but God’s blessing. It is possible to be faithful in one’s employment or business and yet not advance. There are numerous stories about people that were diligent and made wise decisions, and yet went broke because of other circumstances beyond their control.

Joseph became prosperous or successful (39:2-3). He would have been asked to speak on “How to Be a Successful Servant”, by the “local and regional servant associations in Egypt”. Here we must avoid the trap of reading the Bible through our own colored glasses. A wise Christian does not read the Bible to discover the secret of worldly success, but the path of obedience. God makes certain of his servants successful in order to fulfill his plans not their dreams of pleasure.

Second, blessing accrued to Potiphar because of Joseph (39:5). Again, from Joseph’s immediate, personal predicament, this made no sense. Joseph was doing the suffering as a slave, and Potiphar was becoming rich. If you were Joseph and didn’t know where God’s story was headed, how would you have felt? “If God is with me, why is my boss reaping the benefits? Why doesn’t the Lord set me free if he is with me, rather than using me to bless my ungodly slave-master?” It probably would have been very easy for you to have thought that God wasn’t “fair”. By the way, are there events in your life that you don’t think God has been good to you? If there are, you need to get those complaints settled before the Holy God by your repentance.

There is another lesson in these opening verses of Genesis 39. They could strip Joseph of his richly ornamented robe and remove him from his family, but they could not separate him from his God. The Lord was with him!

Grace and peace, David

A Ray of Sunshine (Part One)

Genesis 39:1-6

Many Christians have read or have heard about Pilgrim’s Progress. Its author was John Bunyan, a well-known preacher in seventeenth century England. But few have heard of his daughter, Mary. She was born blind, and her mother died when she was five. Her father was in prison for many years because he preached the gospel, and as his child she endured many years of poverty. She fell in love with a young man, but he was executed for taking part in a political plot. She died of a broken heart. Where were the rays of sunshine in her life? There were not many, but God was gracious to her, first blessing her with godly parents and then the gift of salvation.

At the current point in Joseph’s life there were not many reasons for cheer. But the Lord was about to break through with a ray of sunshine. Let’s watch God’s plan unfold. Now Joseph had been brought down to Egypt, and Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, the captain of the guard, an Egyptian, had bought him from the Ishmaelites who had brought him down there (Genesis 39:1 ESV).

What was God doing in his big plan? God sent Joseph to Egypt to preserve his chosen people during the famine. We learn that at the end of the story of Joseph. The human side of the event was the action of the Ishmaelite merchants, but the Lord had his hand in the incident. They were ignorant of what God was doing; they were in it for the money. God mailed the letter and the Ishmaelites were the mail carriers. God does not usually begin his great works (Psalm 105:5,16-17) with spectacular signs and the sounding of trumpets. Nevertheless, he sent Joseph to the exact place he wanted him to be. Compare what is said of John the Baptist (John 1:6). Where did God send John to begin a great work? To the wilderness of Judea. Who would have thought that was the beginning of the gospel age? God sent Joseph to Egypt to fulfill part of his plan as he had revealed it to Abraham (cf. Genesis 15:13-14).

God also acted in the small details of his plan. Joseph was not placed in the fields as many slaves were, but in the house where Potiphar’s eye could observe his good work. Joseph was placed in a situation where he is trained in the duties of supervision. The Lord did a similar thing for Moses, who was brought up in Pharaoh’s court. The Lord usually invests part of his servants’ lives in places where they gain just what is needed for their greater work. We ought not to despise those training places. We need to learn to be faithful in little matters prior to doing great tasks. The hand of God is also apparent in this fact. When Joseph falls from his master’s favor, he would be placed in a royal prison. To get there, he must go through this intermediate step.

Remember that if you were Joseph, you would not know any of this. It would not have seemed like a ray of sunshine to him. Neither do we know how the small details of our lives will be part of God’s larger plan for our lives and for the greater story of his glory. Sharon and I met through the arrangement of chapel seating. On September 9, 1970, I had no idea that my future wife was sitting two seats away from me. But it simply wasn’t about us. Through bringing our lives together, he acted that others might come to know Jesus as their Lord and Savior. When I went to Grand Rapids, God provided a job for me through a person I sat next to in apologetics class my first day of classes. I had no idea that God was working out his plan to provide for my family, when Tarry came and sat next to me. The Lord directs our lives in many seemingly insignificant ways to accomplish his will in our lives.

God’s ray of sunshine was on Joseph that day. He did not and could not have known what the Lord of human history would accomplish through a few small choices made by other people. Make time this week to reflect on little events and decisions, some by other people like your parents or teachers or work supervisors, that God has used to bring you to where you are today. Then bow in worship and thankfulness. Who knows what ray of God’s sunshine might even fall on your life today?

Grace and peace, David

A Frowning Providence (Part Three)

Genesis 37:29-36

In a few hours, Joseph’s life changed forever. Sold by his brothers without mercy to slave traders, his dreams and hopes apparently disappeared forever. I don’t think that we can comprehend the desolate anguish as he was carried away. And what of questioning God? Had the Lord of all turned against him to deny his hopes and bring him bitterness? It would take over twenty years for young Joseph to see any positive answers to those questions. We should not imagine that the Lord God rushes to resolve our personal traumas.

Joseph’s enslavement had other consequences for the family. The first to experience the outcome were his brothers, who did the evil act. How could they explain their brother’s disappearance to their father? They resorted to an act of deceit.

The occasion was Reuben’s trauma (37:29-30). As the oldest son, he was responsible for his younger siblings. If you’re the oldest in your family, caring for them might have been the first serious responsibility you experienced. “Watch your brothers and sisters while they play outside. Don’t let them go out of our yard!”

Reuben had thought he had everything figured out, but all events are in God’s hands instead of ours. Though Reuben had planned to return Joseph to his father, the Lord had a different plan, and his prevailed. The plans of the heart belong to man, but the answer of the tongue is from the Lord (Proverbs 16:1 ESV). If we cannot control words, what makes us think we can control actions?

Observe that Reuben was not concerned for his brother’s hardship, but for his own predicament. “Where can I turn now?” He had not dared to risk himself to rescue his brother earlier, relying on his own schemes for an apparently easy way out. When a heavy burden had fallen on him, he lost all thoughts of Joseph. Self-interest becomes a dominating force in a course of sin. It becomes every man for himself. Reuben loved himself very well, but self-love did not lead him to love others, especially his father and his brother. This caused them to come up with a scheme to protect Reuben. They took Joseph’s special robe and put the blood of a goat on it. This made it look like Joseph had been killed by some wild beast. People are very skilled at doing an act of deceit to cover up their real acts and motives. Joseph’s brothers were very sure they would get away with this deceit. But God had a surprise for them years later.

What the ten brothers did affected Jacob in a horrible way (Genesis 37:31-36). His sons deceived him even as he had deceived his father. It should not surprise a sinner when his own lies and deceptions turn on him. Many, many years had passed since he, at his mother’s urging and with her approval, had deceived Isaac. Now, he felt the pain he had caused. Jacob was overwhelmed with grief. He had endured years of hard labor for his uncle, the death of Rachel, and the disgrace of incest, but he finally reached the end of his strength. Let us not be too hard on old Jacob. Remember the old Indian proverb about criticizing someone before you walk in their moccasins. I think an even better lesson would be to listen to the Lord’s advice and pray, “Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.”          

What could be Jacob’s and Joseph’s consolation in this severe trial? The character and promises of God Almighty. The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe (Proverbs 18:10). Had God forgotten Jacob and Joseph in their grief? Not at all! Even then he was working for their good. We could not have proved that to either man during their sorrows, but it was very true.

Grace and peace, David

A Frowning Providence (Part Two)

Genesis 37:12-36

In part one, we saw how the life of Joseph and his family was about to change through a seemingly insignificant and harmless event: his trip that his father Jacob sent him on out of concern for Joseph’s older brothers. In Genesis 37:18-28, we see how an act of malice started them all on the path to lasting change.

They were intent on venting their wrath wrath against Joseph. But they saw him in the distance, and before he reached them, they plotted to kill him. “Here comes that dreamer!” they said to each other. “Come now, let’s kill him and throw him into one of these cisterns and say that a ferocious animal devoured him. Then we’ll see what comes of his dreams” (Genesis 37:18-20 NIV).

Their hatred had brewed for so long that the mere sight of Joseph brought them to the verge of murder. Sin long nurtured in the heart waits only for an appropriate moment to wreak destruction. Sin causes hardening of heart. But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called “Today,” so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness (Hebrews 3:13 NIV). Hatred and jealousy made them want to murder, but sin did not stop there. For they planned to lie to cover their murder, and pride made them dream of boasting they had defeated Joseph’s dreams.

No person is strong enough to hold the reins of sin. That lusty stallion can drag any presumptuous man or woman off to certain ruin. The wise course of action is to flee from sin, seek cleansing from its guilt and influence by the blood of Christ, and to put it death with the help of the Holy Spirit.

However, while Joseph’s brothers plotted evil against him, the living God was also at work. He acted behind the scenes to restrain their wrath (37:21-28). There are three clear ways that the Lord did this.

  • God worked through Reuben’s intervention. Reuben was an unlikely deliverer (see Genesis 35:22), but for some reason (perhaps fear of further offense against his father or qualms of conscience), he schemed to prevent the murder of his brother.
  • God worked through the appearance of the merchants. In this way, God permitted the hatred of Joseph’s brothers to go unchecked, but refused to allow Joseph to be killed. The Lord allows people to act freely, unless when he intervenes to accomplish his will. He lets people act as free agents, while maintaining his sovereign rule. Wise parents allow their children freedom to act and to fail many times, while stepping in at important times for godly discipline, instruction, and protection. If you were Joseph being handed over to the traders, you would be thinking that it’s better to be a living dog than a dead lion. Yes, he had reason to be thankful. Remember also that he did not have the rest of his life story to read at this point. It seemed that his life was ruined and his dreams vanished. The Lord does not consult us about the details of his plan, nor does he make sure that all will tend toward a life of ease for his children. Sometimes it is impossible to discern how a course of events will be for our good (Romans 8:28).
  • God worked through the greed of Judah. Judah said to his brothers, “What will we gain if we kill our brother and cover up his blood? Come, let’s sell him to the Ishmaelites and not lay our hands on him; after all, he is our brother, our own flesh and blood.” His brothers agreed (Genesis 37:26-27). There are alternatives in a course of sin. It does not always take the worst path. After all, if you can make a few shekels and still have your malice vented, what’s the problem. I seriously doubt anyone wants to award Judah a medal for his suggestion. However, let’s not deceive ourselves if we do the same thing; namely, leave one path of sin only to pursue a less offensive sin.

The Lord God acts in many ways to accomplish his will. As has been said, God uses crooked sticks to draw straight lines. Our responsibility by grace through faith in Christ is to be “straight sticks” ready for God’s use.  As we read in the New Testament Scriptures, Those who cleanse themselves from the latter will be instruments for special purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work (2 Timothy 2:21 NIV).

Grace and peace, David

A Frowning Providence (Part One)

Genesis 37:12-36

The Lord God has revealed in his word, the Bible, that he is in charge of all things. He is sovereign; he is the Boss (Psalm 115:3; 135:5-6; Proverbs 16:4, 9; Isaiah 46:8-11; etc.). Listen to Romans 11:36: For from him and through him and for him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen (NIV). Providence is God’s direction and care of his creation. The story of Joseph is an important study of how God directs various events in our lives for his glory and the good of his people. Individual events can seem counterproductive to God’s plan; in fact, some seem wrong and we don’t like them. But we must wait in faith for God’s wise result.

In God’s providence, great changes can flow from apparently insignificant and benign events. We can plan to help others and even to advance the cause of God and truth, and then everything blows up in our faces. I know this from sad experience. And it hurts. But the Lord of all can be working a better plan. We see all of this in the life of Joseph.

The game changer for Joseph, his father, his family, and seriously for the whole world came from an act of concern by his father Jacob. Now his brothers had gone to graze their father’s flocks near Shechem, and Israel said to Joseph, “As you know, your brothers are grazing the flocks near Shechem. Come, I am going to send you to them.”

“Very well,” he replied. So he said to him, “Go and see if all is well with your brothers and with the flocks, and bring word back to me.” Then he sent him off from the Valley of Hebron (Genesis 37:12-14 NIV).

Compassion and prudence directed this plan. On Jacob’s part, he was concerned for the welfare of his sons and their family’s possessions. On Joseph’s part, obedience to his father motivated him. Notice how determined Joseph was to carry out Jacob’s orders (37:14-17).

However, right motives could not prevent trouble. Jacob was seemingly unaware of the hatred of his ten older sons for Joseph. He might have known there was no love lost between them, but he didn’t realize how thoroughly jealousy ruled their hearts. We have to face the truth that loving parents are rarely the best judges of their children’s character. We love them very much, so that we fail to see what they actually are and do.

Joseph walked on the path of obedience. He honored God by his choice. But the next events demonstrate that neither faith nor good character are shields against trouble. In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted (2 Timothy 3:12 NIV). Watch out for the trap of second guessing a correct course of action when trouble comes during it and after it. You can do the right thing and experience much grief. Please make God’s glory rather than your happiness the standard of your actions.

Grace and peace, David

The Tarnished Silver Spoon (Part Two)

Genesis 37:1-11

Joseph’s problems originated in his family. People have family problems because families are made up of sinners. It can very be easy to write on this theme. In our day of hyper-individualism, people don’t feel the need to work through issues with their family, and strife accelerates. As we look at these verses, we will see how the conflict originated and developed. However, let us not forget that the Lord would use these problems to bring about a much greater good. If you’re in family conflict today, put your hope in what God can still do for you and your family.

Three circumstances aggravated hostility toward Joseph.

The first circumstance was his Father’s preference for him. Now Israel loved Joseph more than his other sons because Joseph was a son born to him in his old age, and he made a robe of many colors for him. When his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, they hated him and could not bring themselves to speak peaceably to him (Genesis 37:3-4 CSB). How many problems can develop between siblings, because of their parents unwise attitudes and actions!

Two phrases are unclear, but the consequences of them are. The first is born to him in his old age. This doesn’t mean that Joseph was his youngest son, because Benjamin, his full brother was. The idea probably is that after all the trials that Jacob’s beloved wife went through to have a son, Jacob specially favored Joseph. Much ink has been spilled about a robe of many colors. Whatever it was, it loudly proclaimed that dad liked Joseph best.

It is fearful the harm that can come to children through the foolishness of their parents. Parents ought never to show favoritism for one child over the others. All should be equal objects of parental love. Exploring this situation would make this article book length; therefore, I can’t dive deeper into it. Please don’t do it. Instead, notice that children often have to bear the consequences of their parents’ sins. Again, the hope is that God’s grace is greater than our sins. Yet, Joseph bore the brunt of his brothers’ anger. Proud human hearts cannot stand to have someone else preferred before one’s self. We only have to say, “Teacher’s pet” or “boss’ son” to bring numerous examples to mind. Hatred in the heart will eventually work its way out through the tongue (Matthew 12:34). Then, many complicating problems arise.

The second circumstance arose from the report Joseph made about his brothers. At 17 years of age, Joseph tended sheep with his brothers. The young man was working with the sons of Bilhah and Zilpah, his father’s wives, and he brought a bad report about them to their father (Genesis 37:2 CSB). This was a complex situation to be in, and for us to understand thousands of years later. We are not told many things:

  • Jacob’s intent in sending Joseph to work with his brothers. Was he sent to learn, to spy, or simply to help?
  • Joseph’s attitude toward his brothers.
  • Joseph’s skill level in interacting with his brothers. Did he complicate the problem? Is there something he could have done?

One lesson is to avoid “psychologizing the text”. Lacking more information, we cannot suppose that we can say what was actually happening. By the way, don’t give psychological evaluations about people when you lack skill and information. It only mucks up the situation.

So then, we can make a couple observations that should be transparent.

  • While Joseph worked with his brothers, he observed some disagreeable practices by his brothers. What these were has not been recorded. A person can imagine many things, but that brings us to another lesson: Avoid speculation. One evil that recurs among Bible teachers is when a teacher speculates about a situation and then draws countless applications from their own speculations. You can see this in the paucity of Biblical references in many “Christian” books.
  • Since we don’t know what his brothers did, it is impossible to blame or to vindicate Joseph. No wise parent wants to encourage a tattle-tale, for such talk leads to more strife. On the other hand, wise parents need to know if their children are involved in serious sin.
  • The problem was that the sin of Joseph’s brothers was exposed, and they did not like it (cf. John 3:20)

The third circumstance that aggravated their hostility was Joseph’s dreams. God willing, we will consider it in our next article. But as we think about hostility problems in physical or spiritual families, it is important for us to consider if we ourselves have aggravated situations that have happened in this fallen world. We will have conflicts with those we love the most. But are we ready to follow God’s way out, when we are tempted to escalate the problems (cf. 1 Corinthians 10:13). May God help you this weekend!

Grace and peace, David

The Tarnished Silver Spoon (Part One)

 

Genesis 37:1-11

The vast majority of people have the desire to be rich. Part of this is fueled by jealousy. I saw that all labor and all skillful work is due to a man’s jealousy of his friend. This too is futile and a pursuit of the wind (Ecclesiastes 4:4 CSB). Part of it is the assumption that wealth is the answer to trouble in this world. People imagine, “If only I could live the life of the rich and the famous, I would be out of the misery that I’m in. If only I had been brought up with a silver spoon in my mouth, how happy I would be!”

In order to dissuade us from such sentiments, the Spirit tells us in the Scriptures numerous stories of people who had wealth and still had many problems. Think, for example, of Abraham, Job, and Solomon. The Lord wants us to know that the silver spoon is tarnished in this world (cf. Ecclesiastes 2:4-11). Sin has corrupted us, and all creation is under the curse because of human sin. We cannot find rest and contentment in this world. In God’s word, we learn to have confidence in the living God. Any trust in riches will not last, and riches cannot meet your deepest needs. Trust in the Lord and the promises of grace. In this series of articles, we will see how God’s plan of grace worked in and through the life of Joseph, the eleventh son of Jacob.

In order to grasp what is happening in the life of Joseph, we need to know how his story fits into the story of God’s glory. The Lord of all had been acting in his family opening for generations as he worked out his missional plan. Remember what the Lord had said to Abraham. Go out from your land, your relatives, and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. I will make you into a great nation, I will bless you, I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, I will curse anyone who treats you with contempt, and all the peoples on earth will be blessed through you (Genesis 12:1-3 CSB). This plan would involve the sending of God’s Son, the Messiah, to us. Through Abraham’s seed, blessing would come to all the peoples of the earth.

As we observe the family into which Joseph was born, we can make a few observations.

  • Joseph was born into a family that was very much in the good purposes of God. This alone would make his spoon “silver”. God’s people today are likewise born into this family by grace through faith in Christ.
  • God blessed his family financially. Over the years Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob accumulated a large amount of wealth. To the worldly minded person, this would make “Joseph’s spoon” seem very silver.
  • But this family was bitterly divided. Joseph’s father Jacob had four wives. That alone would be enough to insure that rivalries would develop. After the death of his mother Rachel, Joseph would be more exposed to the internal strife, because Rachel was not present to counter the schemes of the other women and their children. This is where we see a lot of tarnish on the silver spoon.

Yet, behind this tragedy was God, working all things for the good of this family, and all the people’s of the world. The Lord would act to make this divided household into a great nation (Genesis 12:2). In four hundred years, this family would plunder the wealth of the greatest nation on the earth, the Egyptian Empire. But far greater was the spiritual riches of the gospel promise that was God’s goal. Now the Scripture saw in advance that God would justify the Gentiles by faith and proclaimed the good news ahead of time to Abraham, saying, All the nations will be blessed through you (Galatians 3:8 CSB).

What mercy Joseph received to be brought up in a home where the true God was worshiped and loved! He early learned whom and how to worship. God would protect him through the trial he would face as young man in a land of terrible idolatry. As Joseph followed the Lord, he would have to sort through this perplexity: How does the gracious plan of God make sense with the sorrow and physical sufferings that he would have to endure? Joseph would need to learn to live by faith. We must also.

What challenges of faith are you facing today? Health? Job and finances? Family issues? The Lord doesn’t promise us easy or quick solutions. The problems our faith must encounter can be long and difficult. Have confidence in God and his long term plan.

Grace and peace, David

Returning to the Lord

IMG_0853Ruth 1:6-9

In our previous article, we saw how God took the initiative to bring Naomi back from her sojourn among unbelievers to return to the Lord and his people. He acted in kindness. What was Naomi’s response to God’s action (1:6b-7)? She believed and acted. When God acts, we are to respond in faith according to his action. This requires us to think upon God and what he does (Psalm 77:10-12; 111:2-5).

So then, Naomi prepared to return home (to Israel) from Moab. Here, we need to know the meaning and importance of “return” in this chapter. The Hebrew word translated “return” is the verbal glue that holds this chapter together (1:6, 7, 8, 10, 11, 12, 15 [twice], 16, 22 [twice in Hebrew]; cf. also 2:6; 4:3). The chapter talks about the “return” of two women. For Naomi the return is personal renewal of the obedience that comes from faith (cf. Romans 1:6; 16:26; cf. 12:1-2). For Ruth the return is conversion to the true and living God.

This story is about turning back to the Lord. Part of the story of God’s glory concerns the return of people to him. God takes returning people and makes them part of his story of redemption (an important idea in Ruth.) God tells us his story, in order that we might become part of his returning people. How do you need to turn back to him? What parts of your world and life view and the actions that flow from it need immediate change? For example, how does your life honor God everyday? How does love for your neighbor produce generous, self-sacrificial action in your way of life?

When Naomi heard the good news of God’s care for his people, she sensed her need to return to God and his covenant community of people, for whom he provided bread. “Her return is a choice to identify with that community again. It is a return, not just to Bethlehem, but to Yahweh and Yahweh’s people” (Webb, p. 42). Naomi responded in faith to the word about what God had done. She continued to believe that God is gracious and merciful, and that he would receive her back to him and his people. It is important to grasp this in order to understand what follows properly. How can your faith remain strong when you feel crushed by life’s events? Remember what God has done for you in your walk of faith to this point, and consider what the Lord did for others in similar times.

Naomi’s decision influenced Ruth and Orpah to return with her. The people of God act as salt and light in this world (Matthew 5:13-16). God uses our way of life as a means to draw more people to him. Think of people that the Lord might use you to influence. Her decision produced other consequences beyond Naomi’s control. This is part of faith’s adventure.

Initially, both daughters-in-law decided to go with Naomi. Clearly, they loved her, which speaks well of her previous interactions with them. Godly women should strive to draw their families close with the cords of love. Ladies, is this a priority in your life? Are you seeking to draw your family members to Jesus by the influence of your love for them?

This was an unexpected decision by Orpah and Ruth. “While Bethlehem had once been Naomi’s home, it was never theirs. Her people were not their people. And if Orpah and Ruth came with her, it would mean two more mouths to feed on a fixed and limited budget, two more bodies to clothe and house, all the while dependent on the charity of family members” (Duguid). And those family members knew neither Ruth nor Orpah! But they decided to go with her! As we seek to make other followers of Christ, our lives can become more complex.

Their decision complicated Naomi’s life in many ways. She would be taking two unwanted and widowed foreign women back to Israel. But she allowed them to start on the way back with her. We must appreciate Naomi’s problem. To have them with her would be a reminder of her tragedy. A look at their foreign faces would remind her of the loss of her sons. Consider what a woman goes through when she chooses not to abort a child from an illicit affair or rape, and who also chooses to keep the child! The child can be a sign pointing to her tragedy.

Sometimes we need to weep. Show compassion on people who have suffered terrible events, even if you think they’re to blame! (Why are people who claim to believe in God’s grace so judgmental? Why do they say, “He or she made their bed and now they have to lie in it?” Would they like God to say that to them?) Don’t you rejoice in God’s compassion toward you? Then how dare you not show it to the suffering? Suffering people need daily mercy and grace. I beg you; I plead with you—please show compassion and kindness for Christ’s sake! All of us should make compassion and kindness part of our constant return to the Lord.

Grace and peace, David